Loyalty
by JaneyKatherineHummingbird
Summary: What if Bones had followed Jim into the Warp Core? In which I take the angst and multiply it for maximum McKirk pain.
1. Chapter 1

"Bones! I thought I told you to stay out! I was trying to save your life!"

Jim yelled at his best friend, who'd somehow managed to follow him into the one place he didn't want him to-the radioactive Warp core.

He'd been so dead set on his mission to stop the Enterprise from plummeting to earth that he hadn't noticed Bones had followed him in until he was halfway up the core, panting for breath, and heard a noise behind him. Looking down, he stopped in horror at the sight of Bones determinedly coming up behind him.

"Why would you do this?" Jim pleaded, furious at his friend for throwing the life away he was intending to save.

"I was trying to keep you from dying, not dragging you down with me. Bones, they need you!"

"Like you're somehow Mr. Expendable, Jim?" Bones snapped back, undeterred in his ascent.

Already, he could feel the radiation burning through him. He could see Bones didn't look right, either and his heart broke at the thought of Bones suffering a miserable death alongside him. This wasn't the way it was supposed to work. Jim was going to go in, fix the reactor, and worry about the consequences later.

"Did you possibly think I would ever let you do something so stupid by yourself?" Bones panted, climbing steadily.

He was making better time than Jim, who was still feeling the effects of his fight with Khan and had to stop every few feet to keep from passing out from pain.

"Thought you could at least...obey ...a direct order..." Jim gasped, grabbing a section of tubing and hoisting himself up.

"That's rich, coming from you," retorted Bones, suddenly appearing right below him. "Mr. Rules Are For Others."

Jim would have laughed if it wasn't such a dreadful situation. They were both sweating and pale, bodies feeling the poison working through them, but they couldn't stop now. They had a ship to save.

"Well, if you're so determined to die," Jim gasped out, "might as well help me kick the housings back into place. We don't have much time before the whole ship is a goner."

There wasn't much point in staying angry at him. Bones couldn't turn back now and it would be foolish to spend their last hours (more like minutes) in a fight. Goodness knows, they'd had plenty of those recently. Guilt burned inside him at the thought of how he'd treated Bones during the hunt for Khan.

Oblivious to his inner turmoil, Bones just nodded to Jim and they helped each other the rest of the way up. At the top they could see the badly misaligned parts and that it would definitively take some strength to get them back in place. Jim wasn't sure if he could have done it himself.

"Looks like we'll have to grab that bar up there and kick for all we're worth," he pointed out. "No more time to waste."

So they teamed up, two best friends saving the day together one last time. Kick, Kick, kick went Jim. Kick, KICK, KICK went Bones and back and forth they went. Finally, after a couple minutes of hard effort, the housings sprang back in place, the resulting burst of energy knocking both of them down hard.

Jim blacked out.

When he woke up, he was back in the chamber, leaning against something warm, his whole body on fire.

He opened his eyes sluggishly to see he was propped up against Bones's chest, Bones was looking down at him with that worried look in his eyes, though he looked like a wreck himself. He must have dragged Jim out of the main chamber while he'd been out.

Outside the door, Spock's horrified face appeared staring at them.

"The hobgoblin's not too happy with you, Jim," came the doctor's raspy voice. "Dang it, this hurts like hell. I might throw up on you."

Smiling weakly at the memory of how he'd first met Bones, Jim was suddenly selfishly glad of his friend's presence. Dying this way was torture, and having someone there was comforting, even though said someone was also dying.

"Spock," he asked the first officer who was still looking on, "How's the ship?"

"Out of danger. You saved the crew." There was a decided quiver in the Vulcan's voice.

"Most of them anyway," Jim mumbled," looking back up at Bones. "But some doctors are too stubborn for their own good."

"You really thought I could live without you, Jim? You're the reason I've lasted so long on this flying tin can."

Bones was earnest with ragged emotion. They had so much to say, so little time. Jim squeezed his friend's hand in silent support before turning back to Spock.

"I want you to know why I went back for you, why I couldn't let you die."

"Because you are my friend." Spock whispered, lips quivering. Jim smiled at him to confirm his guess. He didn't have much energy left for talking.

Their moment was interrupted by Bones's violent retching as he leaned over and threw up, taking care to avoid Jim.

Jim was struggling to breathe now, but he clutched his friend until the spasms subsided, battling against the fear that gripped him.

"I'm scared, Bones," he whispered. "This would be much easier if I couldn't feel."

"I know, Jim," Bones said tightly. "Believe me, I'm scared too. But we made our decision. I don't regret it. I don't regret you, Jim."

For several more minutes, they lay there together silently, waiting for the end.

Then Jim spoke up faintly.

"Remember when we watched those Lord Of The Rings movies together, Bones?"

"Yeah. Those were actually really good, except you wouldn't shut up about the horse lord looking like me."

"He did," Jim stated. "But I was thinking... how Sam followed Frodo everywhere, even up to the top of Mt. Doom. Even after Frodo was a jerk to him as the Ring took power, Sam stayed with him. It's just like us." He paused for breath.

"Not only...did you follow me into space, but you chased me into certain death. Your friendship means a lot to me, Bones. 'I'm glad you're here with me, here at the end of all things'" he quoted.

Bones swallowed around the emotion clogging his throat.

"That's a good analogy, Jim. I'm the Sam to your Frodo. No matter how hard I swore I wouldn't put up with you any more, I couldn't leave you, no matter what. You've been the best friend I ever had."

Tears were glimmering in their eyes as they shook hands in a silent pact, Jim letting out a choked moan as the pain became too much.

"Easy, Jim, easy. It's almost over," Bones whispered, choking back his own pain. It felt like his insides were liquified and boiling over.

All too soon his words proved true as the Captain felt coldness creeping over him and knew his time was up.

Jim couldn't speak, only mouthing "G'Bye, Bones" as he looked at his best friend fondly one last time and smiled his Kirk smirk as he drifted away into the darkness.

Bones felt Jim go slack in his arms as the life left him and he buried his throbbing head in the captain's shoulder, a few tears leaking out from eyes that could barely see. Out of habit, he felt Jim's neck to confirm the lack of pulse.

He knew he couldn't last much longer either and it was a relief at this point, since he knew exactly what was going on inside him and it was extremely unpleasant.

"Jim, I'm coming after you," Bones muttered. "You can't escape me even in the afterlife, you little brat."

He couldn't stand the sight of Jim's empty blue eyes looking at him, but his hands didn't have the strength to reach up and close them.

He turned to Spock again, who was still holding silent vigil, fists clenched against the glass and wonder of wonders, tears running down his cheeks.

"Sorry 'bout this, Spock," he slurred, breathing becoming more and more labored. "You'll be a...great captain, I know it.

I've just got one...request."

"What is it, Leonard?" Spock asked.

"Make sure they bury me next to Jim. I don't need to be shipped back to Georgia. Home is where...he is."

Spock nodded solemnly. "I will see to it, Leonard."

Having been thus assured, Leonard relaxed, the sound of his own faltering breaths loud in the deadly silence of the chamber. The painful minutes seemed to crawl by interminably before he too was seized with the final torrent of agony which quickly turned to complete numbness. He closed his eyes and held on to Jim's body tightly as his own body finally gave up the fight. "I couldn't just leave you there..." was his final thought to his best friend.

Outside the door, Spock, Uhura, and Scotty wept silently as all sound from the chamber ceased with the doctor's last breath. He was still holding tightly to Jim, once again refusing to let the captain leave him behind. Death itself wouldn't separate them, mused Scotty painfully as he slowly moved to call for a medical team. Spock let out a scream of rage and tore off for the bridge, Nyota following numbly. What in the world where they going to do now?


	2. Chapter 2

Thankfully for Spock, there wasn't any burying necessary, thanks to a resurrected tribble and a miraculous serum taken from the man he'd tracked down and beat up in his emotionally compromised state.

Leonard came back to consciousness with great confusion to see Dr. M'Benga standing over him.

"Don't tell me you're dead too, Geoff." He whispered, groaning at how awful he felt. This couldn't be the afterlife if he could still feel pain.

"No I'm not, Leonard, and neither are you."

"How in the heck is that even possible? And where's Jim?"

"Jim's in the next room, still unconscious. Remember that tribble you injected with Khan's blood? Well, it came back to life. Turns out augment blood has some powerful regenerative qualities. We created a serum from Khan's blood and used it on you and the Captain.

His system fought it for awhile before we got it refined enough, but your tough hide took to it right away."

"You've got to be kidding me," muttered Leonard. "I'm a doctor, not Lazarus. How long was I out?"

"It's been a week for you. Jim doesn't show signs of waking yet, but that's understandable given how weakened his body was even before he was exposed to the radiation."

"Let me just say that a certain Dr. Marcus is very unhappy with you. Stayed at your side this whole time, kept muttering stuff about what she was going to do to you if you woke up."

Leonard smiled to himself. He and Carol had seemed to click in the time they'd been working together. Of course, nearly being blown up by a torpedo would result in a shared bond of death-defying. Only, this time, he'd run right towards death and she had reason to be upset.

"Well, I'll find a way to make it up to her if I can," he whispered. "Dang it, I'm weaker than a newborn kitten, Geoff."

He tried to lift his arm up, but it flopped back uselessly.

"I know, Len. It'll be awhile before you're back to normal. This is kind of unprecedented, you know."

He chuckled. "Yep. Lucky me. Survivor of massive radiation poisoning thanks to superhuman blood. Starfleet will have a field day." He groaned and closed his eyes again.

"I'm exhausted. Tell me if Jim wakes up, okay?"

He nodded off again.

The next time he woke up, Carol was looking down at him tearfully.

"We've missed you, Doctor." She whispered, "glad to see you back in the land of the living."

"What? You actually missed my grumpy ole self?" He teased, "Sure you don't mean Jim?"

"He's all right in his way, but It just wasn't right without you crabbing and worrying about everything and everyone. I have a big soft spot for southern doctors, you know."

She had her hand laying on his arm and he reached his other hand around to lay on top of it.

"Well, that's good," he returned gently, "cause I'm very fond of brilliant scientists with English accents."

"I hope you'll remember that the next time you think about chasing Jim into any Warp cores. Really, Leonard? The whole medbay was in tears when they brought you two in in body bags. I've never seen Christine so devastated."

Leonard winced. "I'll have a lot of apologizin' to do, but there was no way I could let that fool-brain wanna-be martyr Jim die alone. Turned out, it took both of us kicking that thing to get it realigned."

"Oh, Leonard," she sighed mistily. "You and your loyalty. It's beautiful, even if it hurts."

He could see she hadn't been joking about the grief they'd suffered on account of him and he felt twinges of guilt and quickly changed the subject.

"How're you doin? Your leg heal okay?"

"Yes. That's the least of my worries now," Carol sighed, blue eyes looking sad again. "This mess with my father is far worse than I imagined. He'd become a monster in his paranoia and love of power, but seeing him die like that...well...it's nightmare fuel on top of everything else."

"I imagine so," he said weakly, exhaustion getting the better of him. "If it's getting too bad, see Geoff before you drop from lack of sleep, ya hear? Ya didn't deserve any of that, Carol. Sorry I'm fading out on you."

"It's alright, Len," she whispered, squeezing his hand. "You rest and get better, okay?"

He thought he felt a gentle kiss on his forehead before he zoned out and smiled as he drifted off.

Over the next week, When he wasn't sleeping, Leonard was griping about being helpless, damn hero captains, dangerous star ship engines, and the inability to eat solid food. He bugged the nurses every day for news of Jim and fretted over his friend for a week before Chapel brought him the good news.

"Jim's awake, Leonard."

Leonard tried to sit up, but was pushed firmly down.

"No, you're not going anywhere yet. Jim's still figuring things out and you're in no condition to leave that bed yet."

Leonard growled, but knew she was right. "At least make sure he gets a good scolding, you hear?" He called after her.

"Oh, trust me, I will." She winked and went to see Jim.

In the end, nurses got tired of taking messages back and forth so someone arranged for a double room and Leonard and Jim could talk without fuss.

"You look awful, Bones!" Jim blurted as soon as he was wheeled in.

"So do you, Jimbo," Leonard retorted, knowing they both looked like ghosts.

Then they stared at each other and laughed weakly.

"That's what we get for running into a warp core, I guess," Jim said thoughtfully. "I really tried to spare you this, you know."

"Yeah, Jim, I know. You can write me up if you want. I don't regret it," Leonard said firmly.

Jim just shook his head with an amazed smile.

"What's this I hear about you flirting with Carol Marcus while I was still unconscious?" he prodded. "Spill it, Bones."

"Well, she's a great conversationalist, that's all I'm going to say, Jim. You and your body self will just have to be patient."

Leonard shut up on that subject and would not be budged, despite all of Jim's cajoling.

The truth was, he really liked Carol and didn't want to hear Jim gossiping about her. She'd had a bad time enough as it was and whatever sparks were flying between them were not for public knowledge.

Jim, though, restrained himself from joking or crude remarks about her and was genuinely nice when she showed up the next few times and even apologized for his prior behavior.

Together Jim and Bones slowly but steadily recovered at Starfleet Medical. Physical therapy started up and Jim whined and moaned about his ruined physique and how sadistic the therapist was.

"Suck it up, Jim," Leonard said unsympathetically. "It's for your own good. I know it's painful, but if you want to be up and around sooner rather than later, you'll do what Dr. Carter says."

"Easy for you to say. You've got Carol to come fuss over you and soothe you. I just have Admirals interrogating me." Jim sank back in his bed with a peeved expression.

"Jealous, Captain?" Bones teased. "I figured you'd have loads of admirers visiting you. What about those Caitian twins?"

Jim flushed slightly. "Um. I don't know what about them. That was a bit of fun. They didn't really become my best friends."

"I guess you better hope that Spock and Uhura show up again, then, Jim. Otherwise, you're stuck with grumpy ole me and possibly Carol for company."

"What a dreadful fate," Jim groaned teasingly, laughing at the stink eye his friend gave him. To be honest, the Captain was very confused about being attracted to both Bones and Carol himself and didn't know what to do with it.

"Oh, Bones," he went on. "I don't know what I'd do without you, really. However, the next time you blatantly disobey me when I give an order that's for your own safety, don't think I won't write you up," he said seriously.

"Hypocrite," Bones muttered. "But one dose of radiation poisoning is enough for me, thank you."

"I'm glad you've seen the light," Jim said contentedly, turning to flirt with the nurse who was bringing their "lunch."

Leonard shook his head in exasperation. Jim was back to normal, personality wise, which meant Leonard really missed his bourbon.

Between Jim and Carol, he was all twisted up in knots, figuratively speaking.


End file.
